Chapter 2: Between the Cheats (Amy Winehouse)
I looked up at her feeling defeated and dirty and just shrugged my shoulders.
"Ugh? Let's get you cleaned up and get going. You can explain in the car. I don't even know what to say to you right now." She kept tsking at me while she ushered me into the shower and while she was setting out my outfit.
After scrubbing my mouth raw and washing my hair three times I somehow managed to get dressed and look hot in twenty minutes thanks to Q and her waterproof mascara.
She manipulated me as if I was some kind of doll baby and I was grateful because without her I don't know how I would have been able to function.
We were in the car not even two minutes, as I drove us back to my house, before Quinn started in on me and shattered my semblance of peace.
"It reeks in here San. What the hell were you doing? What possessed you to get drunk in the middle of the day? And why was there jizz-no, better yet how could you do this to Britt?"
She was staring daggers at me now.
I didn't really have any excuses for her and despite her being my decoy and wing-man, I partially blamed my state of being on her giving my number to Marco.
So I put on my bitchiest face and snapped at her.
"I got a little drunk, smoked a pack of cigarettes and gave Marco a blow job just to get him to not show up tonight... thanks for that by the way!" I scoffed.
My snark had returned full force as I remembered just how this was set into motion.
"Marco, as in Marco Vega? Jeez, I haven't seen him in ages! Why the hell are you thanking me? And why would you even talk to that creep?"
"You gave him my number! You tell me?" I yelled as we pulled into my crowded driveway.
Q looked at me in confusion and disgust.
Maybe I was wrong to believe Marco but I couldn't think of any other way.
"No! I would never do that to you! I haven't seen him since that party all those years ago. I swear on everything, on Beth!"
"Really, Q?"
I banged on the steering wheel, making her jump in her seat.
"That's not necessary. Don't you ever swear on your kid! Not ever! Not cool!"
I closed my eyes and held my head back trying to hold back the tears.
I was an emotional fucking wreck and the day wasn't even over!
Some birthday!
"Fuck, I'm sorry! I kn—" She stumbled over her words while trying to comfort me.
I cut her off and stepped out the car not wanting to have this fucking conversation.
Not wanting to be pitied or lectured, I wanted to end it.
This was supposed to be my day!
I had to put a stop to this.
"Look, Q, thanks for tonight, let's just go celebrate, ok? I think an hour late is fashionable enough. I'm pretty sure my parents are freaking." I chuckled trying to turn the situation around.
Quinn smiled at me and nodded.
"Lead the way Lopez!" She muttered as we confidently strode to the back of my house.
Leave it to Q to know when I mean business.
The grounds where lit up and at least one hundred of my family members and my friends from school were there.
I had even invited the glee club and Mr. Shue.
Britt and I had been planning this party for months and now that it was finally here she was no where to be found and it made my chest hurt.
I shoved down all thoughts of Britt and plastered on a smile.
Remnants of the day were brewing just beneath the surface but I had to look good for my parent's work colleagues especially for the couple that sat on the board of Columbia, my first pick of colleges.
I mingled and smiled until I thought that my face was going to crack apart.
Everyone was enjoying themselves and it was going off without a hitch.
I should have known that with the day that I had just had, that it couldn't last.
That's just how life goes for me.
But I was determined on putting the bittersweet day behind me and enjoying the night so I soldiered on.
Ignoring the anxiety in the pit of my stomach.
I really missed Britt but thankfully Q stuck by my side and made sure I kept up appearances and if anyone had perfected that over the years it was one Quinn Fabray.
Q and I were on the patio talking to the Silva's (the couple that sat on the board of Columbia and whose son was a director at Yale) when she squeezed my arm.
I smiled at her and continued the conversation slightly annoyed and then when I didn't respond to the gentle yet persistent nudging that followed Q started a coughing fit.
Sensing she wasn't going to give up, I excused us and dragged her away.
"What the heck, Q? I thought we both wanted to talk to them? I know that you want Yale just as bad as I want Columbia," I said as I patted her back just in case the Silva's were watching us.
"I know... it's just that—oh fuck!" she muttered.
I was about to let Quinn have it until I heard his voice and my skin began to crawl.
"Hey Ana."
I looked at Quinn desperately and she nodded just to confirm that I wasn't hearing things, before I turned around.
He stood five feet away from me wearing a tailored suit and an award-winning smile.
I gripped my purse tightly and plastered on a smile equally as obnoxious.
"Marco! What a surprise! I thought you couldn't make it?" I said kissing his cheek and then staring at him pleading with my eyes.
"Funny thing, Ana, I wasn't going to come after your father invited me but someone convinced me that you were worth it!"
Marco smirked at me.
I heard Quinn growl behind me and I reached back to grab a hold of her hand.
"Oh really, Marco, That is funny. Hilarious even! Hey you remember Quinn, don't you? She says she hasn't seen you in ages!"
I was seething, trying to keep on my facade, knowing that all eyes were on me tonight.
Quinn rubbed my back and tried to pull my hand towards her and drag me back to my senses.
I opened my mouth to fire an insult at Marco but was suddenly stopped by a warm pair of hands covering my eyes.
My body filled with warmth as I heard her whisper in my ear and smelled her sweet scent.
Britt!
"Guess who?"
She giggled and planted a quick kiss on my cheek.
I whipped around in shock, as brilliant blue eyes stared back at me.
I couldn't move a muscle.
Quinn nervously stood next to B and tried to smile big, trying her best to show me how I should be reacting but I was literally standing between my past and my future and froze up.
I suddenly remembered to smile after a beat and then I wrapped my arms around Britt.
"God, B... I'm so glad you made it! You totally surprised me!"
Relief and guilt filled me all at once.
She kissed the side of my face once more and whispered in my ear.
"I wouldn't miss the opportunity to celebrate my favorite person in the entire world."
I smiled genuinely for the first time all night.
I had almost forgotten that Marco was right behind me, almost!
"How adorable is that, huh, Lucy? Ana? I'm going to go chat with your dad. I will be right back!"
I swallowed back a retort and simply nodded.
Quinn dropped her head and began cursing under her breath.
This couldn't be good.
The night was dwindling down and other than Q, Britt and the glee kids everyone else had cleared out.
It was well past midnight and my parents were taking off for the night and allowing me some unsupervised time with my friends.
Once the parents vacated, the real party got under way as we began a game of 'never have I ever'.
Britt and I sat tangled together as the group formed a circle around the bar on the patio.
Puck brought out a huge bottle of rum and we got down to badness!
Puck filled a bunch of shot glasses and pointed at me.
"I think the birthday girl should start us off!"
Everyone cheered and looked expectantly at me.
Never one to back down from a challenge I raised my shot and loudly proclaimed.
"Never have I ever had sex with...Quinn Fabray!"
I chuckled as I placed my shot down and looked around at the hesitation around the bar.
Puck threw back his shot and then Frankenteen, Sam and then quietly Berry raised a shot to her lips and sipped.
I thought I was just seeing things until Lady Face whipped around and shot daggers at Berry.
"Whoa! Who knew the game would get so interesting so fast!" he said as he slapped her on the back.
I turned to Q who looked like she wanted the ground to swallow her whole.
The game went on and more secrets were revealed, Puck had kissed another guy, Rachel and Mercedes admitted to never having had an orgasm to which I snickered in Q's ear earning me a growl.
I noticed that Rachel and Quinn kept shooting each other looks and I wanted details so I went to call out another truth but before I could say anything else she screamed out,
"Never have I ever slept with Santana Lopez!"
It was my turn to blush as Puck, Mike, Finn, Sam, Britt and Blaine all drank. "What the hell?" Quinn yelled out. "Blaine?"
I put my head in my hands realizing that I deserved that one.
I totally promised to never admit sleeping with Blaine one drunken night after leaving midnight mass and hanging out.
Only Britt had known and even she admitted that it was the kind of thing that should be buried and forgotten.
Kurt cleared his throat and began to say something when I heard a cackle and applause from behind me.
I should have known that he didn't leave.
I gripped the edge of my seat and bit down hard on my lips, trying to bite back a remark but he wasn't so kind.
"Wow Ana! Who knew you were so generous with your time...well other than me! My, my how the times have changed, right Lucy?"
Marco plopped down on the other side of Q and reached out for Quinn's shot glass and poured himself a shot and quickly threw it back.
I had reached across Q and slapped him so hard that his lip began to bleed.
It was no more then a split second but I shut him up.
Britt pulled me back down before I could do it again.
Clearly embarrassed and pissed off, Marco raised up from his seat winked at me and snickered,
"This isn't over Ana! Just you wait and see!" he walked off and for the first time in a long time I broke down in front of people.
Tears spilled down my face and sobs wracked my body.
No one asked questions, they just slowly cleared out all mumbling their goodbyes as Britt held me to her chest.
What the fuck?